“He That Denieth These Things Knoweth Not the Gospel of Christ”

Brant Gardner

Moroni is referring to “these things” as described in verse 7, “no revelations, nor prophecies, nor gifts, nor healing, nor speaking with tongues.” A very similar catalog of gifts of the Spirit occurs in 3 Nephi 29:6: “Yea, wo unto him that shall deny the revelations of the Lord, and that shall say the Lord no longer worketh by revelation, or by prophecy, or by gifts, or by tongues, or by healings, or by the power of the Holy Ghost!” The text of the Book of Mormon attests prophecy (e.g., Samuel the Lamanite, Hel. 13:6–10) and revelation (e.g., Nephi’s revelation of the murdered chief judge, Hel. 8:27). The Messiah healed when he came (3 Ne. 17:7–10).

There are numerous references to speaking in tongues, though there are no events discussed which describe the practice. (See commentary accompanying Moroni 10:15–16.) Nephi1 declares: “But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, yea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me” (2 Ne. 31:14; emphasis mine; see also 2 Ne. 32:2). Amaleki records: “And it came to pass that I began to be old; and, having no seed, and knowing king Benjamin to be a just man before the Lord, wherefore, I shall deliver up these plates unto him, exhorting all men to come unto God, the Holy One of Israel, and believe in prophesying, and in revelations, and in the ministering of angels, and in the gift of speaking with tongues, and in the gift of interpreting languages, and in all things which are good; for there is nothing which is good save it comes from the Lord; and that which is evil cometh from the devil” (Omni 1:25; see also Alma 9:21, 3 Ne. 29:6, Morm. 9:24, Moro. 10:15–16).

Second Witness: Analytical & Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, Vol. 6

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